Shopify is the fastest hosted route, WooCommerce gives WordPress users flexibility at low cost, and custom Laravel suits complex catalogs and B2B logic. Match the platform to your catalog size and how unusual your checkout is.
Shopify — hosted and quick
A fully hosted platform: no servers to manage, fast to launch, strong app ecosystem. You pay monthly plus transaction fees, and customization has limits. Great for standard retail up to large catalogs.
WooCommerce — flexible and low-cost
A plugin that turns WordPress into a store. Cheap to start, endlessly extensible, and content-friendly if you also blog. You manage hosting and updates. Best up to a few thousand products with fairly standard checkout.
Custom Laravel — for complex needs
A built-from-scratch store when you need custom pricing, B2B quotes, unusual checkout or deep integrations. Highest cost and timeline, but no platform ceiling. Best for businesses whose model doesn't fit off-the-shelf tools.
How to choose
| Situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Launch fast, standard retail | Shopify |
| Tight budget, also blogging | WooCommerce |
| B2B / custom pricing | Custom Laravel |
Whatever you pick, plan your payment setup early.